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National News and Headlines From ABC News Radioen-us(c) 2012 ABC News RadioWhat investigators are looking for to crack the Austin 'serial bomber' casehttp://wadk.com/national-news/4a73406f467fda9343ad35d21335ed9f
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 20:20:00 -0500http://wadk.com/national-news/4a73406f467fda9343ad35d21335ed9fStockbyte/Thinkstock(AUSTIN, Texas) -- The desperate search for the suspect or suspects who have put Austin residents on edge with a series of explosives is now likely focused on the few clues police have on hand.

Fred Milanowski, a special agent in charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who is on the ground in Austin, told ABC News that officials are looking at “a couple of people of interest” but added they are still actively calling for the public’s help.

The most obvious avenue for investigation at this point is examining the remnants of the four devices that have exploded in Austin over a 17-day span. The explosions have killed two people and injured four others.

“Every bomber leaves a signature because they tend to make their devices the same way every time 'cause once they’ve perfected one they don’t want to take a chance of accidentally detonating something,” Milanowski told ABC News.

But since the first three blasts stemmed from package bombs and officials believe the fourth explosive, which went off on Sunday night, was detonated by a tripwire, it could suggest that the bombmaker or bombmakers are changing their style.

“That’s why this one does concern us because it’s got a little more sophisticated with this tripwire,” Milanowski said.

“From preliminarily what we’ve seen in there, there’s reason to believe that the same individual that built those built the other one,” he said.

John Cohen, a former acting Homeland Security under secretary and now an ABC News consultant, said that the leftovers from the physical bombs will play a key role in more ways than one. For example, there could be DNA left on a portion of the bomb, which authorities will then run through any number of records repositories, like criminal or military records as well as fingerprints from certain background checks or travel records like TSA PreCheck, that could match the bomb to a name.

“Even if they find DNA or fingerprints but they're not in those repositories, it won’t help them identify the person, but it will help them connect the individual events to the same person,” Cohen said.

The level of sophistication in the bombs and the ability to make different types of bombs as seen in the switch to a tripwire could also be an avenue in and of itself.

Steve Gomez, a former FBI special agent in charge and current ABC News consultant, stressed the level of craftsmanship on display in the bombs so far and the level of preparation that the bomber or bombers had to commit before detonating the blasts.

“Whoever is the suspect or suspects, they are very sophisticated when it comes to bombmaking and explosives, so that’s the first line of investigations that they pursue,” Gomez said, noting that “anyone in the area that has some kind of explosives-making experience” is likely going to be considered.

Gomez said it’s also clear that the suspect or suspects are “utilizing a lot of planning because so far there have been no videos that have come up with a potential suspect, which indicates that the bomber is probably doing surveillance of the locations where the bombs are going to be planted.”

“It’s fairly easy to determine if somebody has visible cameras or the doorbell cameras -- those are fairly easy to detect -- so that might be part of the surveillance that the bomber is conducting,” Gomez said.

]]>Stockbyte/Thinkstock(AUSTIN, Texas) -- The desperate search for the suspect or suspects who have put Austin residents on edge with a series of explosives is now likely focused on the few clues police have on hand.

Fred Milanowski, a special agent in charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who is on the ground in Austin, told ABC News that officials are looking at “a couple of people of interest” but added they are still actively calling for the public’s help.

The most obvious avenue for investigation at this point is examining the remnants of the four devices that have exploded in Austin over a 17-day span. The explosions have killed two people and injured four others.

“Every bomber leaves a signature because they tend to make their devices the same way every time 'cause once they’ve perfected one they don’t want to take a chance of accidentally detonating something,” Milanowski told ABC News.

But since the first three blasts stemmed from package bombs and officials believe the fourth explosive, which went off on Sunday night, was detonated by a tripwire, it could suggest that the bombmaker or bombmakers are changing their style.

“That’s why this one does concern us because it’s got a little more sophisticated with this tripwire,” Milanowski said.

“From preliminarily what we’ve seen in there, there’s reason to believe that the same individual that built those built the other one,” he said.

John Cohen, a former acting Homeland Security under secretary and now an ABC News consultant, said that the leftovers from the physical bombs will play a key role in more ways than one. For example, there could be DNA left on a portion of the bomb, which authorities will then run through any number of records repositories, like criminal or military records as well as fingerprints from certain background checks or travel records like TSA PreCheck, that could match the bomb to a name.

“Even if they find DNA or fingerprints but they're not in those repositories, it won’t help them identify the person, but it will help them connect the individual events to the same person,” Cohen said.

The level of sophistication in the bombs and the ability to make different types of bombs as seen in the switch to a tripwire could also be an avenue in and of itself.

Steve Gomez, a former FBI special agent in charge and current ABC News consultant, stressed the level of craftsmanship on display in the bombs so far and the level of preparation that the bomber or bombers had to commit before detonating the blasts.

“Whoever is the suspect or suspects, they are very sophisticated when it comes to bombmaking and explosives, so that’s the first line of investigations that they pursue,” Gomez said, noting that “anyone in the area that has some kind of explosives-making experience” is likely going to be considered.

Gomez said it’s also clear that the suspect or suspects are “utilizing a lot of planning because so far there have been no videos that have come up with a potential suspect, which indicates that the bomber is probably doing surveillance of the locations where the bombs are going to be planted.”

“It’s fairly easy to determine if somebody has visible cameras or the doorbell cameras -- those are fairly easy to detect -- so that might be part of the surveillance that the bomber is conducting,” Gomez said.

]]>Moment of silence held for bridge collapse victims as first lawsuit filedhttp://wadk.com/national-news/6a2a0b9825636378ef8bfefc39670401
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 20:14:00 -0500http://wadk.com/national-news/6a2a0b9825636378ef8bfefc39670401C.M. Guerrero/Miami Herald/TNS via Getty Images(MIAMI) -- Students and faculty of Florida International University returned to their Miami campus from spring break on Monday and held a moment of silence to honor the six people killed in the collapse of a pedestrian bridge as lawyers for a man injured in the calamity filed a lawsuit

The moment of silence was held at 1:47 p.m., the exact time the 950-ton span that was being built to connect FIU to neighboring community of Sweetwater came crashing down on cars on Thursday.

Several hundred students and faculty, including FIU President Mark Rosenberg, joined hands in front of the school's Graham Center, where the school flag and the state flag were lowered to half-mast.

Five of the victims died when the 174-foot-long prefabricated section of the bridge collapsed on top of their vehicles as they were waiting under the span, which had just been put into place a few days earlier, for a traffic light to change, officials said. Brown was removed from the rubble alive, but later died at a hospital.

Meanwhile, lawyers for one of the people injured in the bridge failure filed a lawsuit in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court charging the five companies involved in the construction, oversight and design of the bridge with reckless negligence.

Orlando attorney Matt Morgan filed the lawsuit on behalf of Marquise Hepburn, 24, who suffered significant injuries in the catastrophe.

Hepburn, according to the suit, was heading to work, riding a bicycle under the bridge on Southwest Eighth Street when the span gave way and he was hit by a vehicle that veered into him.

Hepburn, "like many other unsuspecting victims, was simply performing ordinary activities and like many other victims of this horrific event was simply passing under the bridge without warning of increased danger," the lawsuit reads.

The suit claims the roadway beneath the bridge should have been closed to traffic at the time of the collapse.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the disaster, but has yet to determine what caused the collapse.

On Friday, NTSB investigator Robert Accetta said work crews were applying post-tensioning force on the bridge support cables when the span fell down, but investigators aren't sure if that's what caused the bridge to fall.

Officials also said Friday that an engineer left a voicemail with the Florida Department of Transportation two days before the bridge collapsed, reporting that cracks had been found at one end of the concrete span. The voicemail wasn't picked up until after the collapse, however. NTSB officials are investigating the report, but said it's not clear if cracks contributed to the bridge's catastrophic failure.

"If there's a crack in the bridge why is the motoring public still able to travel under the bridge? That's a fundamental question that needs to be answered in this case," Morgan said during a news conference Monday.

Among the companies named in the suit is FIGG Bridge Engineers, Inc., which designed the bridge, and Munilla Construction Management, which was responsible for building it.

FIGG said in a statement: "We are aware that a lawsuit has been announced regarding the pedestrian bridge accident. Our priority focus continues to place sympathies for the victims at the forefront of our thoughts. FIGG Bridge Engineers will work diligently with authorized investigators in an earnest ongoing effort to determine what led to the accident and what can be done to ensure that nothing like it happens again."

Munilla Construction did not respond to a request from ABC News for comment, but a message on the company's answering machine, said, in part, "We are all devastated and are doing everything we can to assist. We will conduct a full investigation and will cooperate in every way."

]]>C.M. Guerrero/Miami Herald/TNS via Getty Images(MIAMI) -- Students and faculty of Florida International University returned to their Miami campus from spring break on Monday and held a moment of silence to honor the six people killed in the collapse of a pedestrian bridge as lawyers for a man injured in the calamity filed a lawsuit

The moment of silence was held at 1:47 p.m., the exact time the 950-ton span that was being built to connect FIU to neighboring community of Sweetwater came crashing down on cars on Thursday.

Several hundred students and faculty, including FIU President Mark Rosenberg, joined hands in front of the school's Graham Center, where the school flag and the state flag were lowered to half-mast.

Five of the victims died when the 174-foot-long prefabricated section of the bridge collapsed on top of their vehicles as they were waiting under the span, which had just been put into place a few days earlier, for a traffic light to change, officials said. Brown was removed from the rubble alive, but later died at a hospital.

Meanwhile, lawyers for one of the people injured in the bridge failure filed a lawsuit in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court charging the five companies involved in the construction, oversight and design of the bridge with reckless negligence.

Orlando attorney Matt Morgan filed the lawsuit on behalf of Marquise Hepburn, 24, who suffered significant injuries in the catastrophe.

Hepburn, according to the suit, was heading to work, riding a bicycle under the bridge on Southwest Eighth Street when the span gave way and he was hit by a vehicle that veered into him.

Hepburn, "like many other unsuspecting victims, was simply performing ordinary activities and like many other victims of this horrific event was simply passing under the bridge without warning of increased danger," the lawsuit reads.

The suit claims the roadway beneath the bridge should have been closed to traffic at the time of the collapse.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the disaster, but has yet to determine what caused the collapse.

On Friday, NTSB investigator Robert Accetta said work crews were applying post-tensioning force on the bridge support cables when the span fell down, but investigators aren't sure if that's what caused the bridge to fall.

Officials also said Friday that an engineer left a voicemail with the Florida Department of Transportation two days before the bridge collapsed, reporting that cracks had been found at one end of the concrete span. The voicemail wasn't picked up until after the collapse, however. NTSB officials are investigating the report, but said it's not clear if cracks contributed to the bridge's catastrophic failure.

"If there's a crack in the bridge why is the motoring public still able to travel under the bridge? That's a fundamental question that needs to be answered in this case," Morgan said during a news conference Monday.

Among the companies named in the suit is FIGG Bridge Engineers, Inc., which designed the bridge, and Munilla Construction Management, which was responsible for building it.

FIGG said in a statement: "We are aware that a lawsuit has been announced regarding the pedestrian bridge accident. Our priority focus continues to place sympathies for the victims at the forefront of our thoughts. FIGG Bridge Engineers will work diligently with authorized investigators in an earnest ongoing effort to determine what led to the accident and what can be done to ensure that nothing like it happens again."

Munilla Construction did not respond to a request from ABC News for comment, but a message on the company's answering machine, said, in part, "We are all devastated and are doing everything we can to assist. We will conduct a full investigation and will cooperate in every way."

]]>Parkland school shooting suspect's brother arrested for allegedly trespassing at Stoneman Douglashttp://wadk.com/national-news/1f431669db571f325cfb9946717b35cf
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 19:16:00 -0500http://wadk.com/national-news/1f431669db571f325cfb9946717b35cfBroward County Sheriff's Office (PARKLAND, Fla.) -- The brother of Parkland school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz has been arrested for allegedly trespassing on the school grounds of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Zachary Cruz, 18, who was arrested at 4:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, allegedly rode his skateboard through school grounds, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office. According to the arrest report, he told deputies he wanted to “reflect on the school shooting and soak it in.”

His brother, Nikolas Cruz, 19, is accused of killing 17 people in the Valentine's Day massacre at the high school.

Nikolas Cruz was formally arraigned last Wednesday on a 34-count indictment related to last month's mass shooting at a South Florida high school, for which the 19-year-old is now facing the death penalty. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf, though defense attorney Melisa McNeill emphasized that Nikolas Cruz is willing "at any time" to plead guilty "in exchange for a waiver of the death sentence" and instead spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Deputies said Zachary Cruz had been warned to stay away from the school campus previously, according to the arrest report. The alleged trespassing was captured on CCTV, the report states.

Zachary Cruz was booked into the Broward Sheriff's Office jail and his bond was set at $25.

]]>Broward County Sheriff's Office (PARKLAND, Fla.) -- The brother of Parkland school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz has been arrested for allegedly trespassing on the school grounds of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Zachary Cruz, 18, who was arrested at 4:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, allegedly rode his skateboard through school grounds, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office. According to the arrest report, he told deputies he wanted to “reflect on the school shooting and soak it in.”

His brother, Nikolas Cruz, 19, is accused of killing 17 people in the Valentine's Day massacre at the high school.

Nikolas Cruz was formally arraigned last Wednesday on a 34-count indictment related to last month's mass shooting at a South Florida high school, for which the 19-year-old is now facing the death penalty. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf, though defense attorney Melisa McNeill emphasized that Nikolas Cruz is willing "at any time" to plead guilty "in exchange for a waiver of the death sentence" and instead spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Deputies said Zachary Cruz had been warned to stay away from the school campus previously, according to the arrest report. The alleged trespassing was captured on CCTV, the report states.

Zachary Cruz was booked into the Broward Sheriff's Office jail and his bond was set at $25.

]]>Mom of teenage girl who fled to Mexico with married man regrets fight with daughterhttp://wadk.com/national-news/be9e44ecc107bb9079be44749b265c44
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:01:00 -0500http://wadk.com/national-news/be9e44ecc107bb9079be44749b265c44Miami Dade County County Jail(ALLENTOWN, Pa.) -- When the frantic search for a 16-year-old girl culminated on Saturday with U.S. Marshals and Mexican authorities finding her at the Mexican port town of Puerto Morelos, her mother was relieved.

She had feared the worst after her daughter ran off with a 45-year-old married man named Kevin Esterly.

After they were finally found, they were taken to Miami Saturday night.

Just days before receiving the good news, however, Luu gave an extensive interview to ABC News admitting her regret for arguing with her daughter before her disappearance and her anger at Esterly.

"Nobody can help," Luu said about her daughter's return. "They just hide and hide. It's so difficult to find them."

Her daughter vanished with what Luu described as "a little bit of jewelry, her passport and a couple hundred dollars."

The mother said she regretted fighting with her daughter before she fled.

"The last day, I called Amy and we talked I yelled at her, and so she got mad," Luu said.

The sophomore student was signed out of Lehigh Valley Academy on March 5 by Esterly, according to the Allentown Police Department. Esterly, a cement contractor, allegedly claimed to be her stepfather and, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by the Lehigh County Deputy District Attorney Matthew Falk, he "fraudulently signed her out of school" early at least 10 times between December and Feb. 9.

But this time, authorities said Esterly withdrew $4,000 from his wife's bank account and caught a one-way flight to Cancun, Mexico, by way of Dallas along with Amy.

While she is back home, any kind of homecoming with Amy is being delayed because the youth is staying at a Pennsylvania hospital, her mother said.

During a short hearing on Monday, Esterly didn't fight extradition back to Lehigh County.

“I’d like to go back to Pennsylvania as soon as possible," he told the judge.

In the throes of worry and reflection, Luu wondered if she could have done more to keep Amy away from from the married man.

"Every day she would go out -- sometimes for two hours and I ask her 'Why do you go out? Every day you go out!'" she said she told Amy. "Sometime she would be gone overnight....

"It's difficult teaching the teenagers because they won't listen to the parents," she added.

Luu said that she had been raising Amy and her brother, John, by herself ever since their biological father went to China.

"He left to go back to China and he can't come back," she said.

For almost a decade, Luu's daughter attended a Lehigh county church.

It was at this church that Luu said Amy forged a friendship with one of Esterly's four daughters.

"I know him from church, both him and his family [for] many years," Luu told ABC News in an earlier interview before Amy was found. "He had four daughters and wife and his daughter is just one year less than Amy.

John Waldron, the attorney for Esterly's wife, Stacey Esterly, told to ABC News that over several years Amy became like a "fifth daughter" to their family.

Luu agreed, saying for Amy, Kevin Esterly was "dad" and his wife was "mom."

But Luu said she found the relationship strange and confronted the couple.

"I ask him and I ask his wife, 'Why does she call you mom and dad?' and they say 'It's normal,'" Luu recalled.

But the patriarchal relationship became inappropriate over "eight or nine months" when Stacey Esterly said she learned her husband was allegedly having sex with Amy, according to Waldron.

"She tried to prevent Kevin on almost a daily basis from having contact with Amy," Waldron said, adding that Stacey Esterly didn't report him to authorities at first because she was concerned about fracturing her family.

Waldron said that Stacey Esterly eventually started to feel more uncomfortable with the relationship.

"It was reaching a breaking point, which is part of the reason why Kevin ultimately took off with Amy," he said. "Because he knew that Stacey was going to take more drastic measures with the authorities."

Meanwhile, Luu is questioning how she could have trusted Esterly for so many years.

"This guy is so bad," she said. "I never thought he would act like that."

]]>Miami Dade County County Jail(ALLENTOWN, Pa.) -- When the frantic search for a 16-year-old girl culminated on Saturday with U.S. Marshals and Mexican authorities finding her at the Mexican port town of Puerto Morelos, her mother was relieved.

She had feared the worst after her daughter ran off with a 45-year-old married man named Kevin Esterly.

After they were finally found, they were taken to Miami Saturday night.

Just days before receiving the good news, however, Luu gave an extensive interview to ABC News admitting her regret for arguing with her daughter before her disappearance and her anger at Esterly.

"Nobody can help," Luu said about her daughter's return. "They just hide and hide. It's so difficult to find them."

Her daughter vanished with what Luu described as "a little bit of jewelry, her passport and a couple hundred dollars."

The mother said she regretted fighting with her daughter before she fled.

"The last day, I called Amy and we talked I yelled at her, and so she got mad," Luu said.

The sophomore student was signed out of Lehigh Valley Academy on March 5 by Esterly, according to the Allentown Police Department. Esterly, a cement contractor, allegedly claimed to be her stepfather and, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by the Lehigh County Deputy District Attorney Matthew Falk, he "fraudulently signed her out of school" early at least 10 times between December and Feb. 9.

But this time, authorities said Esterly withdrew $4,000 from his wife's bank account and caught a one-way flight to Cancun, Mexico, by way of Dallas along with Amy.

While she is back home, any kind of homecoming with Amy is being delayed because the youth is staying at a Pennsylvania hospital, her mother said.

During a short hearing on Monday, Esterly didn't fight extradition back to Lehigh County.

“I’d like to go back to Pennsylvania as soon as possible," he told the judge.

In the throes of worry and reflection, Luu wondered if she could have done more to keep Amy away from from the married man.

"Every day she would go out -- sometimes for two hours and I ask her 'Why do you go out? Every day you go out!'" she said she told Amy. "Sometime she would be gone overnight....

"It's difficult teaching the teenagers because they won't listen to the parents," she added.

Luu said that she had been raising Amy and her brother, John, by herself ever since their biological father went to China.

"He left to go back to China and he can't come back," she said.

For almost a decade, Luu's daughter attended a Lehigh county church.

It was at this church that Luu said Amy forged a friendship with one of Esterly's four daughters.

"I know him from church, both him and his family [for] many years," Luu told ABC News in an earlier interview before Amy was found. "He had four daughters and wife and his daughter is just one year less than Amy.

John Waldron, the attorney for Esterly's wife, Stacey Esterly, told to ABC News that over several years Amy became like a "fifth daughter" to their family.

Luu agreed, saying for Amy, Kevin Esterly was "dad" and his wife was "mom."

But Luu said she found the relationship strange and confronted the couple.

"I ask him and I ask his wife, 'Why does she call you mom and dad?' and they say 'It's normal,'" Luu recalled.

But the patriarchal relationship became inappropriate over "eight or nine months" when Stacey Esterly said she learned her husband was allegedly having sex with Amy, according to Waldron.

"She tried to prevent Kevin on almost a daily basis from having contact with Amy," Waldron said, adding that Stacey Esterly didn't report him to authorities at first because she was concerned about fracturing her family.

Waldron said that Stacey Esterly eventually started to feel more uncomfortable with the relationship.

"It was reaching a breaking point, which is part of the reason why Kevin ultimately took off with Amy," he said. "Because he knew that Stacey was going to take more drastic measures with the authorities."

Meanwhile, Luu is questioning how she could have trusted Esterly for so many years.

"This guy is so bad," she said. "I never thought he would act like that."

Sunday night's detonation came hours after Austin Police Chief Brian Manley urged the suspect or suspects in the string of bombings to turn themselves into authorities. He confirmed that the blast was triggered by a sophisticated tripwire.

At a news conference on Monday, Manley said the latest bombing occurred when the two victims either stepped on or kicked a tripwire as they were walking on a sidewalk in the Travis Country neighborhood of Austin. The tripwire set off the explosive device that was placed near a fence at 8:32 p.m. Sunday, police said.

Manley said the victims, ages 22 and 23, were in stable condition at a hospital with "significant injuries." Authorities did not release the names of the victims.

"Based on the preliminary review, we have seen similarities in the device that exploded last night and the three others" that were detonated earlier this month that killed two people and injured two, Manley said.

He described the attacks as the work of a "serial bomber."

Authorities have increased the reward for information leading to an arrest to $115,000.

The chief said law enforcement officers found no other devices in the neighborhood after conducting a sweep, but added the area will remain on lockdown until 2 p.m. local time.

Manley said the use of a tripwire to detonate the device is different than the package bombs used in the other attacks that occurred on March 2 and March 12, and signals that whomever is responsible has "a higher level of sophistication, a higher level of skills" than previously suspected.

Fred Kolanowski, the agent in charge of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives office in Austin, said the terrifying aspect of using a tripwire is that it could have been triggered by anyone, including children in the residential area. He said the wire could be either a filament or fishing line that is hard to spot.

Christopher Combs, the FBI agent in charge of the Austin office, pleaded with the suspected bomber or bombers to contact law enforcement to discuss the motive behind the attack.

"We need this to stop," Combs said at the news conference.

The Austin-Travis Country EMS tweeted Sunday night that there was a "critical incident" at Dawn Song Drive in Austin and medics were on their way to treat two males with serious injuries.

According to St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, the two victims were taken there for treatment and are in good condition.

In an interview earlier Monday on ABC News' "Good Morning America," Manley said victims in Sunday night's bombing were both white, while the previous blast victims were black or Hispanic. Race could still be a factor in the bombings, he added.

"We've said from the beginning that we're not willing to rule anything out just because when you rule something out you limit your focus," Manley told "ABC World News Tonight" anchor David Muir. "So this does change the concerns that we had initially although we have still not ruled it out until we understand what the ideology and motive is behind the suspect or suspects."

The three prior bombs were left as packages on doorsteps, while Manley said Sunday's device was different: It was placed on the side of the road.

The Austin Police Department on Sunday responded to a so-called "Bomb Hotshot," according to a tweet. It urged anyone in the "4800 block of Dawn Song Dr." to avoid the area.

Manley issued a “safety alert” in the wake of the bombing, urging people located within a half-mile radius of where the incident occurred to stay indoors until 10 a.m. local time.

“Stay inside your home until we have had a chance to deem this neighborhood safe,” Manley said at a news briefing Sunday.

Police also said school buses would not be able to access the Travis Country neighborhood where the explosion took place and said "any tardies or absences due to this situation will be excused."

In the "GMA" interview, Manley said more than 500 investigators, including 350 FBI agents, continue to chase down every lead, but "at this point we don't have specifics leading us to one suspect."

"That's why we're pushing the message out there that we need every tip, every piece of information however inconsequential you may think it is," Manley said.

“We want to put out the message that we’ve been putting out and that is, not only do not touch any packages or anything that looks like a package, do not even go near it at this time,” he said.

Austin Mayor Steve Adler said it was too early to suggest the timing of last night's bombing was influenced by the announcement that the reward in the case was being doubled.

"I tell you, at this point there's not enough data to know that," Adler said on "GMA" this morning. "We're one of the safest cities in the country now dealing with some pretty horrific events and I think the important message right now is just to tell people if you see anything that is in anyway suspicious just don't go near it and call 911."

He said investigators will not rest until the individuals behind the attacks are brought to justice.

"These are some pretty horrific events that we're dealing with right now and I know that our community is pretty anxious at this point, but we have some of the best law enforcement folks around dealing with this," Adler said. "There is an army of federal agents, we have state resources, so we are putting every resource available, this is the highest priority. We’re going to find out who is responsible for this and we’re going to stop it."

Manley said the three previous package bombings "were meant to send a message."

Law enforcement members from all over have taken notice, Manley added.

He then said he wanted to tap into the psyche of the bomber or bombers.

"We want to understand what brought you to this point," he said. "And we want to listen to you."

The victims of the earlier bombings include Draylen Mason, 17, an orchestral musician and notable essay winner, and Anthony Stephan House, a 39-year-old father.

Since the explosions occurred, Manley said the Austin Police Department has gotten 735 reports of suspicious packages, and investigators have logged 236 interviews, and checked out 435 leads.

]]>iStock/Thinkstock(AUSTIN, Texas) -- Another explosion rocked Austin overnight, injuring two young men and heightening anxiety in the Texas capital for residents and investigators alike.

Sunday night's detonation came hours after Austin Police Chief Brian Manley urged the suspect or suspects in the string of bombings to turn themselves into authorities. He confirmed that the blast was triggered by a sophisticated tripwire.

At a news conference on Monday, Manley said the latest bombing occurred when the two victims either stepped on or kicked a tripwire as they were walking on a sidewalk in the Travis Country neighborhood of Austin. The tripwire set off the explosive device that was placed near a fence at 8:32 p.m. Sunday, police said.

Manley said the victims, ages 22 and 23, were in stable condition at a hospital with "significant injuries." Authorities did not release the names of the victims.

"Based on the preliminary review, we have seen similarities in the device that exploded last night and the three others" that were detonated earlier this month that killed two people and injured two, Manley said.

He described the attacks as the work of a "serial bomber."

Authorities have increased the reward for information leading to an arrest to $115,000.

The chief said law enforcement officers found no other devices in the neighborhood after conducting a sweep, but added the area will remain on lockdown until 2 p.m. local time.

Manley said the use of a tripwire to detonate the device is different than the package bombs used in the other attacks that occurred on March 2 and March 12, and signals that whomever is responsible has "a higher level of sophistication, a higher level of skills" than previously suspected.

Fred Kolanowski, the agent in charge of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives office in Austin, said the terrifying aspect of using a tripwire is that it could have been triggered by anyone, including children in the residential area. He said the wire could be either a filament or fishing line that is hard to spot.

Christopher Combs, the FBI agent in charge of the Austin office, pleaded with the suspected bomber or bombers to contact law enforcement to discuss the motive behind the attack.

"We need this to stop," Combs said at the news conference.

The Austin-Travis Country EMS tweeted Sunday night that there was a "critical incident" at Dawn Song Drive in Austin and medics were on their way to treat two males with serious injuries.

According to St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, the two victims were taken there for treatment and are in good condition.

In an interview earlier Monday on ABC News' "Good Morning America," Manley said victims in Sunday night's bombing were both white, while the previous blast victims were black or Hispanic. Race could still be a factor in the bombings, he added.

"We've said from the beginning that we're not willing to rule anything out just because when you rule something out you limit your focus," Manley told "ABC World News Tonight" anchor David Muir. "So this does change the concerns that we had initially although we have still not ruled it out until we understand what the ideology and motive is behind the suspect or suspects."

The three prior bombs were left as packages on doorsteps, while Manley said Sunday's device was different: It was placed on the side of the road.

The Austin Police Department on Sunday responded to a so-called "Bomb Hotshot," according to a tweet. It urged anyone in the "4800 block of Dawn Song Dr." to avoid the area.

Manley issued a “safety alert” in the wake of the bombing, urging people located within a half-mile radius of where the incident occurred to stay indoors until 10 a.m. local time.

“Stay inside your home until we have had a chance to deem this neighborhood safe,” Manley said at a news briefing Sunday.

Police also said school buses would not be able to access the Travis Country neighborhood where the explosion took place and said "any tardies or absences due to this situation will be excused."

In the "GMA" interview, Manley said more than 500 investigators, including 350 FBI agents, continue to chase down every lead, but "at this point we don't have specifics leading us to one suspect."

"That's why we're pushing the message out there that we need every tip, every piece of information however inconsequential you may think it is," Manley said.

“We want to put out the message that we’ve been putting out and that is, not only do not touch any packages or anything that looks like a package, do not even go near it at this time,” he said.

Austin Mayor Steve Adler said it was too early to suggest the timing of last night's bombing was influenced by the announcement that the reward in the case was being doubled.

"I tell you, at this point there's not enough data to know that," Adler said on "GMA" this morning. "We're one of the safest cities in the country now dealing with some pretty horrific events and I think the important message right now is just to tell people if you see anything that is in anyway suspicious just don't go near it and call 911."

He said investigators will not rest until the individuals behind the attacks are brought to justice.

"These are some pretty horrific events that we're dealing with right now and I know that our community is pretty anxious at this point, but we have some of the best law enforcement folks around dealing with this," Adler said. "There is an army of federal agents, we have state resources, so we are putting every resource available, this is the highest priority. We’re going to find out who is responsible for this and we’re going to stop it."

Manley said the three previous package bombings "were meant to send a message."

Law enforcement members from all over have taken notice, Manley added.

He then said he wanted to tap into the psyche of the bomber or bombers.

"We want to understand what brought you to this point," he said. "And we want to listen to you."

The victims of the earlier bombings include Draylen Mason, 17, an orchestral musician and notable essay winner, and Anthony Stephan House, a 39-year-old father.

Since the explosions occurred, Manley said the Austin Police Department has gotten 735 reports of suspicious packages, and investigators have logged 236 interviews, and checked out 435 leads.

]]>Texas high school reopens for the first time since Hurricane Harveyhttp://wadk.com/national-news/5b28340caa9cc2b95616b831b132f7e0
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 14:48:00 -0500http://wadk.com/national-news/5b28340caa9cc2b95616b831b132f7e0iStock/Thinkstock(HOUSTON) -- One Texas high school that was heavily damaged from Hurricane Harvey reopened on Monday for the first time since the storm struck last August.

"There's been a lot of smiles this morning," Kingwood High School superintendent Elizabeth Fagen told ABC News. "Students were yelling, 'We're so excited!'"

The Kingwood, Texas, school, located about 30 miles north of Houston, was closed for over six months after flooding from the hurricane damaged the split-level building.

The storm caused "millions of dollars in damage," a spokesperson for the school district told ABC News.

All 2,782 Kingwood students were sent to another school in the district as repairs were taking place.

"All the ceramic tile was removed down to the concrete slab," Fagen said of the flooring, and the walls and doors on the first and second floors had to be replaced.

The renovations included security enhancements and a brand new gym, theater, and pool, which is still under construction.

Next weekend the high school is hosting an open house for the community to come and see the renovations.

"We have people in our community still working through it, but I couldn't be prouder of the way people here have handled the situation," Fagen said.

]]>Pennsylvania man accused of fleeing to Mexico with 16-year-old girl agrees to extraditionhttp://wadk.com/national-news/aa3b76ac13032ee0b1d48cb17d1fbdfd
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 13:55:00 -0500http://wadk.com/national-news/aa3b76ac13032ee0b1d48cb17d1fbdfdAllentown Police Department(MIAMI) -- The man accused of fleeing to Mexico with a teenage girl has agreed to be extradited to his home state of Pennsylvania, he said in a brief court appearance in Miami on Monday.

Amy Yu, 16, went missing March 5 with Kevin Esterly, 45, police said, alleging that she left willingly. She has since returned home safely.

The two flew from Philadelphia to Cancun that night, police say.

Yu's mother reported her missing to the Allentown Police Department that day.

A member of Esterly’s family reported him as missing or endangered March 7, the same day authorities issued an arrest warrant for him and charged him with interference with the custody of children, police said.

An Amber Alert was issued in Mexico for Yu and Saturday the two were found there.

Yu was unharmed and in good health and has since returned to Allentown, the police said.

Meanwhile, authorities flew Esterly to Miami where he is in custody pending extradition. In the short hearing on Monday morning, Esterly said, “I’d like to go back to Pennsylvania as soon as possible.”

Pennsylvania authorities have 15 days to pick him up.

Esterly, a father of four daughters, had met the teen at church, and Yu became friends with one of Esterly's children, according to the attorney for Esterly's wife, Stacey Esterly.

The Esterlys had been fighting over his alleged relationship with the teen, Stacey Esterly's attorney, John Waldron, told ABC News. Stacey Esterly threatened to go to the police about her husband's alleged sexual relationship with Yu shortly before the two fled, Waldron said.

When Yu was asked by members of the Leigh Country Child Advocacy Center whether she was having a relationship with Esterly, she denied it, said Det. Gary Hammer of the Colonial Regional Police, which has jurisdiction over her school, Lehigh Valley Academy.

But Yu altered her school records and listed Esterly as her stepfather, Hammer added. And at least 10 times between December and Feb. 9, Esterly signed her out of school early, Hammer told ABC News two weeks ago.

Feb. 9 was the day when the teen’s mother came to the school to pick up her daughter, "and the school said her stepfather already signed her out of school," Hammer said.

"The mom explained she is a single mother," Hammer said. "There is no stepfather."

Lehigh Valley Academy confirmed that Esterly has been on school grounds before and was last there Feb. 9.

"After that date, due to circumstances we cannot disclose pursuant to student privacy constraints, he was prohibited from entering school grounds, and the police were to be notified if he returned," the school said in a statement two weeks ago.

The school called the Colonial Regional Police immediately and it started investigating. The department found video of Esterly’s signing the teen out and leaving with her, Hammer said.

]]>Allentown Police Department(MIAMI) -- The man accused of fleeing to Mexico with a teenage girl has agreed to be extradited to his home state of Pennsylvania, he said in a brief court appearance in Miami on Monday.

Amy Yu, 16, went missing March 5 with Kevin Esterly, 45, police said, alleging that she left willingly. She has since returned home safely.

The two flew from Philadelphia to Cancun that night, police say.

Yu's mother reported her missing to the Allentown Police Department that day.

A member of Esterly’s family reported him as missing or endangered March 7, the same day authorities issued an arrest warrant for him and charged him with interference with the custody of children, police said.

An Amber Alert was issued in Mexico for Yu and Saturday the two were found there.

Yu was unharmed and in good health and has since returned to Allentown, the police said.

Meanwhile, authorities flew Esterly to Miami where he is in custody pending extradition. In the short hearing on Monday morning, Esterly said, “I’d like to go back to Pennsylvania as soon as possible.”

Pennsylvania authorities have 15 days to pick him up.

Esterly, a father of four daughters, had met the teen at church, and Yu became friends with one of Esterly's children, according to the attorney for Esterly's wife, Stacey Esterly.

The Esterlys had been fighting over his alleged relationship with the teen, Stacey Esterly's attorney, John Waldron, told ABC News. Stacey Esterly threatened to go to the police about her husband's alleged sexual relationship with Yu shortly before the two fled, Waldron said.

When Yu was asked by members of the Leigh Country Child Advocacy Center whether she was having a relationship with Esterly, she denied it, said Det. Gary Hammer of the Colonial Regional Police, which has jurisdiction over her school, Lehigh Valley Academy.

But Yu altered her school records and listed Esterly as her stepfather, Hammer added. And at least 10 times between December and Feb. 9, Esterly signed her out of school early, Hammer told ABC News two weeks ago.

Feb. 9 was the day when the teen’s mother came to the school to pick up her daughter, "and the school said her stepfather already signed her out of school," Hammer said.

"The mom explained she is a single mother," Hammer said. "There is no stepfather."

Lehigh Valley Academy confirmed that Esterly has been on school grounds before and was last there Feb. 9.

"After that date, due to circumstances we cannot disclose pursuant to student privacy constraints, he was prohibited from entering school grounds, and the police were to be notified if he returned," the school said in a statement two weeks ago.

The school called the Colonial Regional Police immediately and it started investigating. The department found video of Esterly’s signing the teen out and leaving with her, Hammer said.

]]>Eric Trump: 'shooting was a big part of my youth'http://wadk.com/national-news/c841b686fb2f7fabd90382e15ca16607
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 11:58:00 -0500http://wadk.com/national-news/c841b686fb2f7fabd90382e15ca16607Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Just days before thousands of activists are expected to visit the nation’s capital in support of increased gun control and school safety, Eric Trump on Monday took to Twitter to say that shooting played a positive role in his upbringing.

Eric Trump and his older brother, Donald Trump Jr., avid game hunters, drew criticism when photos surfaced of a hunting trip to Zimbabwe in 2012 which showed the brothers posing next to various dead animals.

Those in favor of increased gun control and school safety have also spoken out about how the raging debate has impacted their generation.

"Not one more. We cannot allow one more child to be shot at school. We cannot allow one more teacher to make a choice to jump in front of a firing assault rifle to save the lives of students," the organizers of a “March for Our Lives” rally being held on March 24 said in their online mission statement. "In the tragic wake of the seventeen lives brutally cut short in Florida, politicians are telling us that now is not the time to talk about guns. March For Our Lives believes the time is now."

The march was organized by students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida where 17 people were killed during a deadly shooting rampage on Valentine’s Day.

A month later, students walked out of their classes for 17 minutes, in honor of each of the victims.

Eric Trump and his older brother, Donald Trump Jr., avid game hunters, drew criticism when photos surfaced of a hunting trip to Zimbabwe in 2012 which showed the brothers posing next to various dead animals.

Those in favor of increased gun control and school safety have also spoken out about how the raging debate has impacted their generation.

"Not one more. We cannot allow one more child to be shot at school. We cannot allow one more teacher to make a choice to jump in front of a firing assault rifle to save the lives of students," the organizers of a “March for Our Lives” rally being held on March 24 said in their online mission statement. "In the tragic wake of the seventeen lives brutally cut short in Florida, politicians are telling us that now is not the time to talk about guns. March For Our Lives believes the time is now."

The march was organized by students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida where 17 people were killed during a deadly shooting rampage on Valentine’s Day.

A month later, students walked out of their classes for 17 minutes, in honor of each of the victims.

Amanda Needham realized her bike -- which she uses daily to get to work -- was stolen from the front of her brownstone on March 3, just after a snowstorm.

Needham, a writer and filmmaker with her own blog, used yellow paint and cardboard to send a message, writing in part, “To the person who stole my bike, I hope you need it more than me.”

“I was despondent and the only thing I could think to do was to just say it, to gently intervene in the public space with my truth, and do it with humor and art,” Needham told ABC News. “I needed to do it for me.”

The sign hung on Needham’s front gate for around five days with no response until she heard a knock at her front door that she thought was a delivery.

Instead, it was two young men who told her they saw the sign and then handed Needham a used kid’s bike with a flat tire.

“I was confused,” she recalled. “It took me by surprise but immediately I realized that is how they were honestly responding to my honesty too.”

A few days later, Needham got another knock on her door, this time from an older woman who gave her a hug and told her if she found a bicycle she’d bring it to her.

“These people were visibly poor and they were giving from what they had,” Needham said. “What I learned is that each and every one of us can do something. We can all do a little something.”

Later that same day, Steven Powers, an antiques dealer who rode his own bicycle past Needham’s house, came by with an offer.

Powers, who also lives in Brooklyn, was so taken with Needham’s sign that he offered to buy it from her for $200, the cost of the stolen bike.

“Being a cyclist I have sympathy for other cyclists,” Powers said. “I took a picture of it and went back to my studio. I posted it on Instagram and within the community of other antiques and arts dealers, there was a little correspondence on it.”

When Powers said he was thinking of buying the sign from Needham, an antiques dealer in the U.K. offered to split the $200 and buy it with him.

“That was the little push I needed,” Powers said. “The sign was just graphically interesting. … What I think was interesting about her message was that she wasn’t angry.”

Needham, who once biked from London to St. Petersburg, Russia, is using the $200 from Powers to purchase a used bicycle for herself.

She took the kids’ bicycle to her neighborhood bicycle repair shop, owned by a female mechanic, JoAnne Nicolosi.

Nicolosi offered to repair the bike, while Needham offered to set Nicolosi’s shop up on social media. They are now raffling the bicycle, dubbed #karmacyle, off for free later this month.

“I’m not glad that this happened but I’m glad that I’ve gotten to meet people and talk to people,” Needham said. “What I want out of this whole situation is not to care that I lost my bike or got a secondhand bike for someone else, but just to remember that those tiny acts can really go a long way.”

Amanda Needham realized her bike -- which she uses daily to get to work -- was stolen from the front of her brownstone on March 3, just after a snowstorm.

Needham, a writer and filmmaker with her own blog, used yellow paint and cardboard to send a message, writing in part, “To the person who stole my bike, I hope you need it more than me.”

“I was despondent and the only thing I could think to do was to just say it, to gently intervene in the public space with my truth, and do it with humor and art,” Needham told ABC News. “I needed to do it for me.”

The sign hung on Needham’s front gate for around five days with no response until she heard a knock at her front door that she thought was a delivery.

Instead, it was two young men who told her they saw the sign and then handed Needham a used kid’s bike with a flat tire.

“I was confused,” she recalled. “It took me by surprise but immediately I realized that is how they were honestly responding to my honesty too.”

A few days later, Needham got another knock on her door, this time from an older woman who gave her a hug and told her if she found a bicycle she’d bring it to her.

“These people were visibly poor and they were giving from what they had,” Needham said. “What I learned is that each and every one of us can do something. We can all do a little something.”

Later that same day, Steven Powers, an antiques dealer who rode his own bicycle past Needham’s house, came by with an offer.

Powers, who also lives in Brooklyn, was so taken with Needham’s sign that he offered to buy it from her for $200, the cost of the stolen bike.

“Being a cyclist I have sympathy for other cyclists,” Powers said. “I took a picture of it and went back to my studio. I posted it on Instagram and within the community of other antiques and arts dealers, there was a little correspondence on it.”

When Powers said he was thinking of buying the sign from Needham, an antiques dealer in the U.K. offered to split the $200 and buy it with him.

“That was the little push I needed,” Powers said. “The sign was just graphically interesting. … What I think was interesting about her message was that she wasn’t angry.”

Needham, who once biked from London to St. Petersburg, Russia, is using the $200 from Powers to purchase a used bicycle for herself.

She took the kids’ bicycle to her neighborhood bicycle repair shop, owned by a female mechanic, JoAnne Nicolosi.

Nicolosi offered to repair the bike, while Needham offered to set Nicolosi’s shop up on social media. They are now raffling the bicycle, dubbed #karmacyle, off for free later this month.

“I’m not glad that this happened but I’m glad that I’ve gotten to meet people and talk to people,” Needham said. “What I want out of this whole situation is not to care that I lost my bike or got a secondhand bike for someone else, but just to remember that those tiny acts can really go a long way.”

Dijonae White, 13, died at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Tupelo Sunday evening after the boy allegedly shot her in the head during an argument Saturday over the video game’s controller, Monroe County officials told the station.

Officers responded to the scene around 1 p.m. Saturday and learned that White’s brother had allegedly grabbed a gun and shot his sister in the back of the head after she refused to hand over the controller, according to WTVA.

The children’s mother was in another room preparing lunch when the incident occurred, Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell told WTVA.

It was unclear how the boy gained access to the weapon and whether he was custody, WTVA reported.

The boy’s name has not been released.

Cantrell has no experience with such cases so he was unaware of what the consequences might be, he told the station.

Dijonae White, 13, died at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Tupelo Sunday evening after the boy allegedly shot her in the head during an argument Saturday over the video game’s controller, Monroe County officials told the station.

Officers responded to the scene around 1 p.m. Saturday and learned that White’s brother had allegedly grabbed a gun and shot his sister in the back of the head after she refused to hand over the controller, according to WTVA.

The children’s mother was in another room preparing lunch when the incident occurred, Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell told WTVA.

It was unclear how the boy gained access to the weapon and whether he was custody, WTVA reported.

The boy’s name has not been released.

Cantrell has no experience with such cases so he was unaware of what the consequences might be, he told the station.

Hannah Wesche, 3, died at 12:15 a.m. Sunday, her father, Jason Wesche, said in a statement.

“She was a big part of our family. She meant everything to everybody. This is just an extremely difficult time. We just hope to god she is in heaven with him and ask for continued prayers,” Wesche told Cincinnati ABC affiliate WCPO on Sunday.

Police said her babysitter, Lindsay Partin, 35, admitted to striking the child earlier this month “and stated she had fallen and struck her head on the concrete garage floor the previous day,” according to a statement last week.

Partin pleaded not guilty to charges of felonious assault and child endangerment in connection with the incident.

Police in Butler County, Ohio, about 35 miles north of Cincinnati, said they arrived at Partin’s home on March 8 and found the girl unresponsive, with labored breathing and "obvious bruises about her head and face."

Wesche declined WCPO’s request for an on-camera interview, but he told the station last week that his daughter was unlikely to survive.

"I mean, it's unimaginable. I can't begin to explain the feeling of losing a child at the hands of this ... of just a violent act. Hannah was great," Wesche said last week. "We just want to stress that this situation is devastating. She is not expected to survive. Within the next couple of days, we are told that it's going to come to an end."

Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said the case is still under investigation.

“Cases like this rip your heart out. I don't understand why or how anyone harms a child," Jones said in a statement. "Parents, please know who is watching your children.

"Get background checks, talk to neighbors, friends and family members before letting anyone watch your children. Know who you are leaving your babies with,” he added.

Partin posted a $30,000 cash bond and was released from jail last Monday, according to WXIX. It's not clear when she's expected back in court.

]]>Butler County Sheriffs Office(BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio) -- An Ohio toddler who was allegedly beaten and left brain dead by her babysitter was pronounced dead on Sunday, according to her family.

Hannah Wesche, 3, died at 12:15 a.m. Sunday, her father, Jason Wesche, said in a statement.

“She was a big part of our family. She meant everything to everybody. This is just an extremely difficult time. We just hope to god she is in heaven with him and ask for continued prayers,” Wesche told Cincinnati ABC affiliate WCPO on Sunday.

Police said her babysitter, Lindsay Partin, 35, admitted to striking the child earlier this month “and stated she had fallen and struck her head on the concrete garage floor the previous day,” according to a statement last week.

Partin pleaded not guilty to charges of felonious assault and child endangerment in connection with the incident.

Police in Butler County, Ohio, about 35 miles north of Cincinnati, said they arrived at Partin’s home on March 8 and found the girl unresponsive, with labored breathing and "obvious bruises about her head and face."

Wesche declined WCPO’s request for an on-camera interview, but he told the station last week that his daughter was unlikely to survive.

"I mean, it's unimaginable. I can't begin to explain the feeling of losing a child at the hands of this ... of just a violent act. Hannah was great," Wesche said last week. "We just want to stress that this situation is devastating. She is not expected to survive. Within the next couple of days, we are told that it's going to come to an end."

Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said the case is still under investigation.

“Cases like this rip your heart out. I don't understand why or how anyone harms a child," Jones said in a statement. "Parents, please know who is watching your children.

"Get background checks, talk to neighbors, friends and family members before letting anyone watch your children. Know who you are leaving your babies with,” he added.

Partin posted a $30,000 cash bond and was released from jail last Monday, according to WXIX. It's not clear when she's expected back in court.

]]>Exclusive: Siblings allegedly held captive said to experience freedom for 1st timehttp://wadk.com/national-news/0a007b4cdfce471ca223bf22c822d5c4
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 05:22:00 -0500http://wadk.com/national-news/0a007b4cdfce471ca223bf22c822d5c4 Riverside County Sheriffs Department(RIVERSIDE, Calif.) -- After what is described as a lifetime of imprisonment in a cramped, squalid home near Riverside, California, seven of the 13 siblings who were allegedly held captive by their parents got their first taste of freedom last week, ABC News has exclusively learned.

The newly freed siblings -- who are now adults -- were discretely whisked away Thursday from the Corona Regional Medical Center, where they had been nursed back to health after police rescued them in January. After being described as on the brink of starvation, the survivors were taught the basics about a world police say they never quite experienced.

But now, the young adults, ages 18 to 29, were taken by their attorney and public guardian from the carefully controlled ward of the hospital to an undisclosed rural house they now call home.

ABC News has interviewed several people who’ve spent time with the siblings -- whose lives until recently had been lived in near-complete isolation. Their native intelligence, coupled with their naiveté and complete lack of guile, makes them utterly charming, say those who’ve interacted with them.

Their lawyer, Jack Osborn, who specializes in clients with special needs, described it as their birth into the real world.

“The adult siblings want to be known as survivors, not victims,” said Osborn.

It’s the reason he said they don’t dwell on their anger, but on the long process of recovery ahead.

“They're joyful, warm, considerate. It's not all about them. They want to hear what's going on with you and me and my family," he said. "It's just really fun. It's fun to be around them. Of course, they're really full of joy about their life and the things they get to experience right now."

David and Louise Turpin, the parents of the children, are accused of abusing them, including shackling and starving them routinely, authorities said. The victims weren't released from their chains even to go to the bathroom, prosecutors have charged.

All the children except for the youngest, a toddler, were severely malnourished, prosecutors said. The eldest victim -- a 29-year-old woman -- weighed only 82 pounds when rescued, according to authorities.

ABC News has learned through several sources with access to the siblings and interviews with police and social services that what little food the siblings ate was predominately frozen food at home.

The parents were arrested in January after the couple's 17-year-old daughter scrambled out of their home's front window, called 911, and showed police pictures of her siblings in shackles, said the District Attorney Mike Hestrin. That 17-year-old had somehow accessed the internet in the weeks before her harrowing escape. ABC News has discovered that she had accounts on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube -- where she performed what she called original songs with titles like “Where is the Key?”

David and Louise Turpin each face dozens of counts of torture, false imprisonment and child endangerment. Prosecutors say they would punish infractions like washing above the wrist with punishments like being hogtied or being shackled to a bed, sometimes for months at a time.

Now, the seven siblings who are free have enjoyed getting relative privacy for the first time in their lives -– including receiving their own bedding and having their own closet space, Osborn said.

In their first 24 hours since their release from the hospital, the older siblings picked citrus for the first time. They also made their first ice cream sundaes and prepared Mexican food, apparently all firsts, Osborn added.

“They pretty much love any food that is fresh. They love fruit, pasta and soup,” said Osborn.

Mark Uffer, the chief executive officer of the Corona Regional Medical Center, where some of the siblings were being treated, confirmed to ABC News in a statement that the Turpin siblings had been discharged from their facilities.

Uffer added that they "wish these brave siblings continued strength as they take the next steps in their journey."

Beyond tasting new food, the siblings spend their time doing various kinds of occupational, physical and psychological therapy. They also watch movies. A lot of them.

Osborn believes they didn’t have much access to movies despite their parents’ trove of thousands of DVDs. The siblings' favorite movies so far have been anything associated with the "Star Wars" series.

While several of them have been of driving age for about a decade, their lawyer says none has ever driven a car. Trips in a vehicle at all seemed to be a rarity, Osborn said.

The prospect of driving a car one day was, in fact, so novel that the boys joked that they’d need to wear football helmets for safety.

Meanwhile, the siblings are aware of their parents’ legal jeopardy, but have no idea how much interest their story has drawn, Osborn said.

He added that they all hope to lead normal lives, with spouses and careers, including being nurses and doctors.

“Some asked whether they could be nurses without having to give injections or seeing much blood,” he said, smiling.

His clients, he said, “want to be independent."

"They want to do things for themselves and they want to start having independent lives where they're responsible for themselves," he added. "That's the goal and that's what everyone is working toward.”

]]> Riverside County Sheriffs Department(RIVERSIDE, Calif.) -- After what is described as a lifetime of imprisonment in a cramped, squalid home near Riverside, California, seven of the 13 siblings who were allegedly held captive by their parents got their first taste of freedom last week, ABC News has exclusively learned.

The newly freed siblings -- who are now adults -- were discretely whisked away Thursday from the Corona Regional Medical Center, where they had been nursed back to health after police rescued them in January. After being described as on the brink of starvation, the survivors were taught the basics about a world police say they never quite experienced.

But now, the young adults, ages 18 to 29, were taken by their attorney and public guardian from the carefully controlled ward of the hospital to an undisclosed rural house they now call home.

ABC News has interviewed several people who’ve spent time with the siblings -- whose lives until recently had been lived in near-complete isolation. Their native intelligence, coupled with their naiveté and complete lack of guile, makes them utterly charming, say those who’ve interacted with them.

Their lawyer, Jack Osborn, who specializes in clients with special needs, described it as their birth into the real world.

“The adult siblings want to be known as survivors, not victims,” said Osborn.

It’s the reason he said they don’t dwell on their anger, but on the long process of recovery ahead.

“They're joyful, warm, considerate. It's not all about them. They want to hear what's going on with you and me and my family," he said. "It's just really fun. It's fun to be around them. Of course, they're really full of joy about their life and the things they get to experience right now."

David and Louise Turpin, the parents of the children, are accused of abusing them, including shackling and starving them routinely, authorities said. The victims weren't released from their chains even to go to the bathroom, prosecutors have charged.

All the children except for the youngest, a toddler, were severely malnourished, prosecutors said. The eldest victim -- a 29-year-old woman -- weighed only 82 pounds when rescued, according to authorities.

ABC News has learned through several sources with access to the siblings and interviews with police and social services that what little food the siblings ate was predominately frozen food at home.

The parents were arrested in January after the couple's 17-year-old daughter scrambled out of their home's front window, called 911, and showed police pictures of her siblings in shackles, said the District Attorney Mike Hestrin. That 17-year-old had somehow accessed the internet in the weeks before her harrowing escape. ABC News has discovered that she had accounts on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube -- where she performed what she called original songs with titles like “Where is the Key?”

David and Louise Turpin each face dozens of counts of torture, false imprisonment and child endangerment. Prosecutors say they would punish infractions like washing above the wrist with punishments like being hogtied or being shackled to a bed, sometimes for months at a time.

Now, the seven siblings who are free have enjoyed getting relative privacy for the first time in their lives -– including receiving their own bedding and having their own closet space, Osborn said.

In their first 24 hours since their release from the hospital, the older siblings picked citrus for the first time. They also made their first ice cream sundaes and prepared Mexican food, apparently all firsts, Osborn added.

“They pretty much love any food that is fresh. They love fruit, pasta and soup,” said Osborn.

Mark Uffer, the chief executive officer of the Corona Regional Medical Center, where some of the siblings were being treated, confirmed to ABC News in a statement that the Turpin siblings had been discharged from their facilities.

Uffer added that they "wish these brave siblings continued strength as they take the next steps in their journey."

Beyond tasting new food, the siblings spend their time doing various kinds of occupational, physical and psychological therapy. They also watch movies. A lot of them.

Osborn believes they didn’t have much access to movies despite their parents’ trove of thousands of DVDs. The siblings' favorite movies so far have been anything associated with the "Star Wars" series.

While several of them have been of driving age for about a decade, their lawyer says none has ever driven a car. Trips in a vehicle at all seemed to be a rarity, Osborn said.

The prospect of driving a car one day was, in fact, so novel that the boys joked that they’d need to wear football helmets for safety.

Meanwhile, the siblings are aware of their parents’ legal jeopardy, but have no idea how much interest their story has drawn, Osborn said.

He added that they all hope to lead normal lives, with spouses and careers, including being nurses and doctors.

“Some asked whether they could be nurses without having to give injections or seeing much blood,” he said, smiling.

His clients, he said, “want to be independent."

"They want to do things for themselves and they want to start having independent lives where they're responsible for themselves," he added. "That's the goal and that's what everyone is working toward.”

]]>Cirque du Soleil performer Yann Arnaud dies after fallhttp://wadk.com/national-news/567556b2275f538676b48707a469aae8
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 05:03:00 -0500http://wadk.com/national-news/567556b2275f538676b48707a469aae8ABC News(TAMPA, Fla.) -- A Cirque du Soleil performer has died after he fell onto the stage during a performance in Florida, the company announced Sunday.

"It is with immense sadness that Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group reports that a tragic accident occurred last night, March 17, during a performance of its show 'Volta,' in Tampa, Florida," the statement posted to its social media accounts began. "While he was performing the aerial straps number, long-time aerialist, Yann Arnaud, fell onto the stage."

Arnaud, 38, had his hand slip from a ring and he fell about 20 feet, according to Tampa police.

The statement explained that after "Yann was transported to the nearest hospital ... he later passed away from his injuries."

Cirque du Soleil describes its newest show, "Volta," as "adventurous," according to its website. It "weaves acrobatics" and "action sports" into a "melodic score."

"The entire Cirque du Soleil family is in shock and devastated by this tragedy," a statement from Cirque's president and CEO Daniel Lamarre read. "Yann had been with us for over 15 years and was loved by all who had the chance to know him. Over the coming days and weeks, our focus will be on supporting Yann’s family and our employees, especially the 'Volta' team, as we go through these difficult times together."

The company said in a statement that it is "currently gathering more information about this tragic event" and "offering our full and transparent collaboration to the authorities as they look into the circumstances of this accident."

Subsequently, Cirque du Soleil canceled two shows Sunday in Tampa.

This isn't the first time a cast member of Cirque du Soleil has died while on tour.

In 2016, technician Olivier Rochette, who was also the co-founder's son, was preparing the set for a performance of "Luzia" in San Francisco when he was struck by a lift and later died.

]]>ABC News(TAMPA, Fla.) -- A Cirque du Soleil performer has died after he fell onto the stage during a performance in Florida, the company announced Sunday.

"It is with immense sadness that Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group reports that a tragic accident occurred last night, March 17, during a performance of its show 'Volta,' in Tampa, Florida," the statement posted to its social media accounts began. "While he was performing the aerial straps number, long-time aerialist, Yann Arnaud, fell onto the stage."

Arnaud, 38, had his hand slip from a ring and he fell about 20 feet, according to Tampa police.

The statement explained that after "Yann was transported to the nearest hospital ... he later passed away from his injuries."

Cirque du Soleil describes its newest show, "Volta," as "adventurous," according to its website. It "weaves acrobatics" and "action sports" into a "melodic score."

"The entire Cirque du Soleil family is in shock and devastated by this tragedy," a statement from Cirque's president and CEO Daniel Lamarre read. "Yann had been with us for over 15 years and was loved by all who had the chance to know him. Over the coming days and weeks, our focus will be on supporting Yann’s family and our employees, especially the 'Volta' team, as we go through these difficult times together."

The company said in a statement that it is "currently gathering more information about this tragic event" and "offering our full and transparent collaboration to the authorities as they look into the circumstances of this accident."

Subsequently, Cirque du Soleil canceled two shows Sunday in Tampa.

This isn't the first time a cast member of Cirque du Soleil has died while on tour.

In 2016, technician Olivier Rochette, who was also the co-founder's son, was preparing the set for a performance of "Luzia" in San Francisco when he was struck by a lift and later died.

]]>Puerto Rico still suffering 6 months after catastrophic hurricane: Here's how to helphttp://wadk.com/national-news/ab964a704c4a920a20fb0be3caf0b1b6
Sun, 18 Mar 2018 09:16:00 -0500http://wadk.com/national-news/ab964a704c4a920a20fb0be3caf0b1b6iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Six months after Puerto Rico was devastated by a hurricane that knocked out power to almost the entire island, tens of thousands remain without electricity and the U.S. territory is struggling to recover.

Hurricane Maria severely damaged Puerto Rico's electrical grid and caused an estimated $100 billion in property damages when it made landfall on Sept. 20. Most of the territory's three million residents were left in darkness and cut them off from basic supplies.

Six months later, the island is still trying to return to normal, including with tens of thousands of people still lacking power.

Many relief efforts for Puerto Rico that began soon after the hurricane continue. Here are some ways you can help:

American Red Cross, The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities are still accepting both relief donations funds and volunteers to help areas affected by the hurricane.

United for Puerto Rico, a fund set up by Puerto Rico’s first lady Beatriz Rossello, wife of Gov. Ricardo Rossello, collects donations and distributes them to non-profits helping people affected by the disaster.

AmeriCares said that for every $1 donated it provides $20 worth of medical aid and disaster support.

Among others helping are New York governor Andrew Cuomo who recently announced that a team of experts will go to Puerto Rico to help local officials with rebuilding plans and, over the summer, students from from both the State University of New York and the City University of New York will go to the island to assist.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, is still working with communities on the island that are in desperate need of food and water, and is helping local non-profits that need supplies.

Hurricane Maria severely damaged Puerto Rico's electrical grid and caused an estimated $100 billion in property damages when it made landfall on Sept. 20. Most of the territory's three million residents were left in darkness and cut them off from basic supplies.

Six months later, the island is still trying to return to normal, including with tens of thousands of people still lacking power.

Many relief efforts for Puerto Rico that began soon after the hurricane continue. Here are some ways you can help:

American Red Cross, The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities are still accepting both relief donations funds and volunteers to help areas affected by the hurricane.

United for Puerto Rico, a fund set up by Puerto Rico’s first lady Beatriz Rossello, wife of Gov. Ricardo Rossello, collects donations and distributes them to non-profits helping people affected by the disaster.

AmeriCares said that for every $1 donated it provides $20 worth of medical aid and disaster support.

Among others helping are New York governor Andrew Cuomo who recently announced that a team of experts will go to Puerto Rico to help local officials with rebuilding plans and, over the summer, students from from both the State University of New York and the City University of New York will go to the island to assist.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, is still working with communities on the island that are in desperate need of food and water, and is helping local non-profits that need supplies.

Three victims -- Rolando Fraga Hernandez, Oswald Gonzalez and Alberto Arias -- were found Saturday morning after crews removed two cars from the rubble left at the scene, Miami-Dade police said today.

The fourth identified victim, Navarro Brown, died at a hospital, police said.

The fifth victim, Alexa Duran, 18, a student at Florida International University, was identified by the Miami-Dade Police Department early Sunday. Her family had already confirmed to reporters on Friday that Duran was among those killed, when the bridge 950-ton bridge collapsed on Thursday afternoon on top of at least eight cars stopped under the span waiting for a red traffic light to change.

Alexa's body was recovered about 5:12 p.m. Saturday when firefighters recovered her gray Toyota 4Runner from the rubble and found her body inside.

"Rest In Peace my sweet little sister. Words cannot describe how heavy my heart is," Alexa's sister, Dina Duran, wrote in a Instagram police on Saturday. "I would give anything to take your place and all of your pain. I will cherish every memory we've made and will miss you every day for the rest of my life. A piece of my heart is with you. Heaven is a better and funnier place with you in it. May your beautiful soul rest with the Angels my love. I will see you again soon."

Rolando Fraga Hernandez's nephew, Jorge Fraga, had told ABC News on Saturday that he was holding out hope. Before police officially identified Hernandez as being among the dead, Fraga said he called hospitals in the area Saturday searching for his loved one.

"I’m trying not to think he isn’t there," Fraga said.

Police said Hernandez's body was found about 5:40 a.m. Saturday when his gold Jeep Cherokee was removed from the debris.

Authorities said at a press conference late Saturday the six people who died from Thursday's bridge collapse near Florida International University were recovered and they did not expect to find any other victims. Miami-Dade police director Juan Perez said the final two victims were recovered Saturday afternoon.

Authorities had previously said the death toll might increase as crews worked to remove more cars trapped under the rubble.

"The biggest tonnage carried today was of the families who lost someone," Perez said.

A total of eight cars were trapped under the bridge after it crumbled, including six that were "significantly entangled," authorities said. Two of those heavily trapped cars were removed Saturday morning and two more were removed later in the day, officials said.

Maurice Kemp, deputy mayor of Miami-Dade County, said the primary goal was to remove all victims and cars in a "dignified and respectful manner."

He said crews worked through the night to remove the two cars this morning and will continue the effort until all victims and cars are recovered.

FIU had touted the pedestrian bridge as one of the first of its kind, tweeting that it swung into place March 10.

Three victims -- Rolando Fraga Hernandez, Oswald Gonzalez and Alberto Arias -- were found Saturday morning after crews removed two cars from the rubble left at the scene, Miami-Dade police said today.

The fourth identified victim, Navarro Brown, died at a hospital, police said.

The fifth victim, Alexa Duran, 18, a student at Florida International University, was identified by the Miami-Dade Police Department early Sunday. Her family had already confirmed to reporters on Friday that Duran was among those killed, when the bridge 950-ton bridge collapsed on Thursday afternoon on top of at least eight cars stopped under the span waiting for a red traffic light to change.

Alexa's body was recovered about 5:12 p.m. Saturday when firefighters recovered her gray Toyota 4Runner from the rubble and found her body inside.

"Rest In Peace my sweet little sister. Words cannot describe how heavy my heart is," Alexa's sister, Dina Duran, wrote in a Instagram police on Saturday. "I would give anything to take your place and all of your pain. I will cherish every memory we've made and will miss you every day for the rest of my life. A piece of my heart is with you. Heaven is a better and funnier place with you in it. May your beautiful soul rest with the Angels my love. I will see you again soon."

Rolando Fraga Hernandez's nephew, Jorge Fraga, had told ABC News on Saturday that he was holding out hope. Before police officially identified Hernandez as being among the dead, Fraga said he called hospitals in the area Saturday searching for his loved one.

"I’m trying not to think he isn’t there," Fraga said.

Police said Hernandez's body was found about 5:40 a.m. Saturday when his gold Jeep Cherokee was removed from the debris.

Authorities said at a press conference late Saturday the six people who died from Thursday's bridge collapse near Florida International University were recovered and they did not expect to find any other victims. Miami-Dade police director Juan Perez said the final two victims were recovered Saturday afternoon.

Authorities had previously said the death toll might increase as crews worked to remove more cars trapped under the rubble.

"The biggest tonnage carried today was of the families who lost someone," Perez said.

A total of eight cars were trapped under the bridge after it crumbled, including six that were "significantly entangled," authorities said. Two of those heavily trapped cars were removed Saturday morning and two more were removed later in the day, officials said.

Maurice Kemp, deputy mayor of Miami-Dade County, said the primary goal was to remove all victims and cars in a "dignified and respectful manner."

He said crews worked through the night to remove the two cars this morning and will continue the effort until all victims and cars are recovered.

FIU had touted the pedestrian bridge as one of the first of its kind, tweeting that it swung into place March 10.